The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55: 1576-1582; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century — John Shaqi
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55: 1576-1582; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 04 of 55: 1576-1582; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
6. The corsair continued his journey, and, intending to make an attack
at dawn, anchored outside the bay, and sent all his small boats ashore
in charge of some captains, in the early part of St. Andrew's Eve. They
say that the corsair remained with the ships; but that in the boats
there were seven hundred men, among whom were a few arquebusiers, and
many pikemen, besides men armed with battle-axes. [1] They were clad in
corselets which are coats lined with exceedingly thick cotton. They had
durable bamboo hats, which served as helmets; they carried cutlasses,
and several daggers in their belts; and all were barefoot. Their
manner of warfare or of fighting, was to form a squadron composed of
men with battle-axes, among whom were placed some arquebusiers, a few
of the latter going ahead as skirmishers. One of every ten men carried
a banner, fastened to his shoulders and reaching two palms above his
head. There were other and larger banners also, so that it appeared as
if some important personage was coming who served in the capacity of
master-of-camp. These, then, were the people who made the first attack.
7. The entrance to the bay of this city of Manila is southwest of
Manila. On its southern side, and to the right on entering the
bay, is the port of Cavite, two leagues from Manila. They took
the shorter route, which was safer for their small boats, and came
somewhat late within half a league of Manila without being seen;
for the slight breeze stirring from the east prevented them from
making the assault at daybreak. Manila is on a point or isthmus
running southeast and northwest; and the river encompasses it from
the east to the northwest. They did not enter by the river, in order
not to be seen by the fishermen who are constantly going and coming;
and also for the reason that the bay is very wide at this point,
and they would have to force an entrance, which they did not dare
attempt in their small boats. The pirates therefore began a hurried
march along shore toward the city, dragging their lances. They
arrived at the city somewhere between nine and ten o'clock in the
morning. The first house attacked was that of the master-of-camp,
Martin de Goite; he was sick in bed at the time. Already some natives
had come to him from the shore, shouting at the tops of their voices
that enemies were near, and that the king of Borney was coming down
upon the Castilians. Now as Martin de Goite knew that this was the
season of the brisas, and that it was impossible to come from Borney,
which lies to the southwest, because the wind was dead ahead, and not
believing in the possibility of other enemies, he laughed at the men,
telling them that they were drunken. Meanwhile, the advance-guard of
the squadron was near the house, when he arose, put on a suit of mail,
and took a sword with which to defend himself. It is believed that
the Chinese were passing straight ahead toward the governor's house
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